


With Love from Memory Lane

by peirypatt



Series: Harringrove Week of Love [5]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alpha Billy Hargrove, Alternate Universe, Body Dysphoria, Derogatory Language, Discrimination, M/M, My First Multichapter Fic, Omega Steve Harrington, Omegaverse, Tags May Change, The boys will experience some downs before the happy ending, the ending is going to be open
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2019-10-28 03:39:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17779880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peirypatt/pseuds/peirypatt
Summary: Billy and Steve were best friends, super best friends actually, that's how they put it back in the day.  After the death of his mother, Billy and his father moved from California to the small town of Hawkins with the hope of a new start, or at least that was what his father said.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fifth fic of the @harringroveweekoflove I want to give special thank to @Ihni for reading and correcting all my silly mistakes, and being so helpful.
> 
> February 14th - First Kiss Part 1
> 
> While writing the fic I came to realize that I wouldn't be able to finish it at the agreed date, so I divided it ( still don’t know how many parts, I hope three will be enough)

 

 

Billy and Steve were best friends,  _ super _ best friends actually, that's how they put it back in the day.  After the death of his mother, Billy and his father moved from California to the small town of Hawkins with the hope of a new start, or at least that was how his father had put it.

 

 

Billy left part of himself that day - he isn't sure which - and his father definitely left the best part of himself inside that house. Far away from that old house and from the memories; both the painful memories and the few good ones he treasured.

 

With the money they got from selling the old house they could buy a decent house on the poor side of town. He never understood why his father chose to buy a house in that neighborhood. According to Neil  _ Indiana was cheaper than California _ , and yet for some reason, they lived in the Midwestern equivalent of their old neighborhood.

 

Elementary school here was different. For once they only had one elementary school, it shared space with the middle school that was next to the high school building. Everything was right next to each other, and that reflected on the people. Everyone seemed to know everyone, the type of people that had always known each other from generations as they had always been there since the beginning. It was frightening. 

 

 

It wasn't the first time that he was the new kid, but it was the first time that it made him stand out. He was the only kid with a white striped t-shirt and shorts; the rest was wearing long-sleeved shirts and jeans, while the girls wore sweaters or dresses that didn't show any skin, red thigh high socks underneath. 

 

He didn't have any friends until the fifth week. That's when Steve came into his life. Later he would realize that his life could be divided in before and after Steve.

 

They were drawing on their desks and he was trying to draw the beach where his mother used to take him, but he didn't have the right blue for it, without that color it wouldn't be the same. There was this kid next to him who had more colors than him - he would probably have the one he wanted.

 

He didn't have it, or any intention to share. He tried with the other kids with the same result, the teacher reprimanded him and asked him to stay in his sit.

 

A ball of paper hit him in the head when he was sulking. He was ready to fight anyone that messed with him he saw that it came from three seats behind him, the next row over. There was this kid who looked like he was taken from a catalogue.

 

 Dark brown chinos that matched his wool vest in the same color, under that was a baby blue long sleeve t-shirt with a v-neck. He knew the kid, he didn't exactly stand out except for his clothes and the car that brought him to school. 

 

 

Chestnut hair perfectly combed to one side, pale skin, pink lips and cheeks, and bright brown eyes, which were more common in this place.

 

The boy, who would later be Stevie, whispered, not so subtly, what crayon he needed, showing him a row of blues for him to choose from. His drawing ended up being the best in the whole class. 

 

Stevie was eight years old, a year older than him, something which he could never forget since Steve liked to remind him of it from time to time during their seven years of friendship. He was the rich kid in town, with the best clothes, toys, and snacks. He didn't mind sharing his stuff with others, and he always shared with Billy.

 

Others including himself could take Stevie’s stuff without his permission, and he would rarely get mad even though they could break them or never return them. That pissed Billy off. How Stevie could be a pushover, letting people walk all over him, and how, when on the few occasions he bothered to complain, he got all whiny, and nobody would take him seriously. So, it was up to Billy to remind people to return Stevie's shit. Sometimes he would let him complain to see if one day he would snap, maybe it was pettiness, maybe it was jealousy or maybe he was tired of Stevie not being able to defend himself properly, and always recoiling at the first sight of confrontation.

 

Years later he would understand what loneliness and distant parents could do to a person.  _ I'm so sorry Steve I get it now. _

 

Steve's parents would leave early in the morning and come home late at night, at least one of them. The rest of the day a nanny would take care of him. The first one and probably the best was Hannah, the most strong-willed black woman that you would ever meet. 

 

By the time he was allowed to be at Stevie's house, he made it a routine to go every day. He just needed to do his chores before Neil came home from work. Stevie wasn't as fast at doing his homework as he was, so Billy helped him. Hannah wouldn't let them play until Stevie was ready - putting play time on the line was the best motivation. 

 

Little by little his presence at the Harrington's house was well known to everyone except the Harrington’s. Toys and clothes that were initially for Stevie, were now for his exclusive use. 

 

The Harrington’s backyard was next to the forest, so it was easy to lose track of time in there. That place had a quality that took any game to a whole new level, and with such a playground it was no wonder that when they played being explorers, pirates, and hunters, and even regular games like tag, and hide and seek became more thrilling, even though most of the time he and Steve were the only ones playing.

 

Many memories lived in that forest, and a few left a mark, as their names engraved and scattered on several trunks, responding to the primitive need to mark their territory.

 

Probably even the remains of a little house they tried to build several times by themselves could still be there. In their heads, the house would be big enough for both of them, but it would belong to Billy. It was supposed to be the place where he would end up living after getting away from home, that way he could be close to Steve and Neil wouldn’t be able to find him. It was wishful thinking of their part. It never came true.

 

He will always be grateful for Steve being his first friend and later his best friend. He doesn’t believe any other family had the same circumstances that surrounded Steve, he is sure as hell that nobody would have tolerated that someone else’s child would spend five hours a day at their home without asking questions. 

 

He will never know if Hannah never gave him away to the Harrington's or Neil out of sympathy or indifference. After all, it was not part of her job to take care of another child when they only paid her for one. She was simply awesome like that. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Standardized Secondary Designation Test has come, changing the status quo and some relationships on the way.

He was happy and didn’t know it until puberty arrived, that’s when everything got complicated.

 

At the beginning of middle school, it was mandatory to take the _Standardized Secondary Designation Test_ or _SSDT_ , but everyone called it the _A/B/O test_ , for the name of the designations.

 

The secondary designations didn’t mean much to him since it didn’t affect him directly. Until they hit puberty, those designations were something that your parents explained to you, and from time to time you heard of them on the streets.

 

 _“Hey, knothead!”, “Dude stop being such a beta.”, “ You won’t believe what that omega bitch did last_ _night.”_

 

When you reached puberty your body would change and adapt to your label, the process was different for everyone, even between people that shared the same designation.

 

Alphas tended to be aggressive and kind of dicks. Billy wanted to be one, not because he wanted to be mean but because he preferred to be on top rather than at the bottom, especially with an alpha as a father at home.

 

Betas were the common denominator, average in every sense,  maybe the only thing they shared with the other designations was the fact they were able to tell by smell the label you belonged.

 

The Omegas were the most desired by others, but the most despised to become, the double standard settled more on them than any other designation. It wasn’t fair, but it was what it was.

 

The new sixth graders would meet in the gym. A series of temporary cubicles lined up side by side, inside them were doctors and nurses who would guide them during the tests. The most important being the blood sample test.

 

Classes were suspended that day since the whole day was devoted exclusively to the physical evaluation, after that, a lecture would take place in the gym, later they would finally be assigned their schedule.

 

All the voices inside the gym mixed in a buzz full of gossip and all of them were about the same thing, _“what did you get?”, “ I heard that he/she is…”, “ I bet I’m going to be an alpha”, “I hope we get the same”_

 

He and Stevie were next to each other since their last names started with the same letter, both of them were anxious and dreading the moment they entered the cubicle but at the same time wishing to get over with it.

 

While they waited for their turn to came, they planned all the stuff they would do at the beginning of middle school as alphas, how they would sign up to the same classes and sports.

 

Billy was called first the nurse closed the curtain when he entered, inside there were three chairs (the doctor was sitting in one of them), a weight, a table with needles and tubes for blood.

 

They gave him a detailed physical examination which consisted of weighig him, measured him, testhis reflexes, his eyesight and checked his teeth, after that ended it they asked him a bunch of questions, mostly him questions about his parents (their designation and at what age they presented) to finish the check up they took a sample of his blood.

 

They actually needed just one drop for the A/B/O test the rest was probably used for other tests or something he didn’t ask, he was focused on the blood that was dropped on a small piece of paper that changed to a dark blue.

 

**PATIENT: WILLIAM M. HARGROVE   DESIGNATION: ALPHA**

 

He was an alpha, he was elated, couldn’t be happier and he showed it, after he exited from the cubicle, the ones that were closer knew just for the big smile on his face that he got the designation he wanted. He couldn't delay too much since he needed to clear the way, but that didn't stop Stevie to congratulate him with two thumbs up.

 

Stevie came next, Billy was instructed to go to the bleachers and take a seat in the area according to his designation, he did and kept a seat for Stevie.

 

Looking around, he saw the ones who already were designated and among them was a familiar face. Tommy.

 

Tommy was one of Stevie’s friends before he came to Hawkins, he was part of the group of friends they usually hung out with, he was funny but they weren’t close. He couldn’t help but smile seeing him now in the beta section, Tommy like many others used to brag about how he was going to be a big alpha, always saying how that ran in his family and that his uncle was a big alpha. He never answered what designation his parents were when asked.

 

When Stevie finally came out, he raised his arm and waved, showing where he was. Stevie’s saw him but ignored him, turning his head, crestfallen he went to the bleachers, one teacher pointed out his section for him, it wasn’t the alpha and neither the beta.

 

Head on his knees blocking his surroundings, the lonely figure of Stevie sat at a distance of a few girls, he was the only male. A glance was all he needed to see the effect that Stevie had on the rest.

 

He saw Tommy smirking, joining animatedly in a conversation between several betas, while he felt a bit lost trying to catch the expression of his friend.

 

Stevie was an Omega, and he didn’t know what that could mean yet.

 

The omega designation didn’t happen frequently, it wasn’t unheard the existence of places where they didn’t have a single omega, still, female omegas were more common than their male counterpart, a rarity according to science. He had heard of them but never seen one in person, the only ones that he had seen had been in TV commercials and movies, and the only omega he could remember seeing in a movie was a priest.

 

Later he would find out where the rest of the male omega representation went, and how easy it was to find them when you knew where to search. There was always a big brother or the friend of a cousin willing to help for a small price or a pack of cigarettes, it helped to look older, after all, nobody wanted to be that guy selling pornography to a bunch of kids.

 

Anyway, the day of the A/B/O test he wasn’t able to get close to Steve for the rest of the day, after the lecture the groups were guided to the administration to get their schedule and finalize the registration.

 

After that everyone was free to go back home and do whatever they wanted, Stevie’s group was the first to be dismissed since it was the smaller of the three.

 

Stevie must have used his bicycle because Billy wasn’t able to find him after he left the administration office. Stevie didn’t wait for him.

 

It was the first time it happened since they became friends, but he would have time to get used to it because it wouldn’t be the last.

 

That day Billy didn’t go to Stevie’s home, he was busy dealing with his father but for once he was happy to do it. When he told Neil his designation he gave him a side hug and his eyes reflected something he had almost forgotten how it looked on his father’s face. **_Happiness_**  and **_Pride._**

He spent the rest of the day with his dad watching TV and taking his first sip of beer, his father explained to him what being an alpha meant, what was expected of him and more importantly what Neil expected of him.

 

That was the last time he laughed with his father.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like it, leave some comments. I don't have an upload schedule, I mostly post when I have the chapter ready and my unofficial official beta reader checks my draft. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People weren’t prone to ignore the fact that Steve was the only male omega in the classroom, so a bit of taunt was to be expected. That was what he thought at the time, and why he didn’t intervene at that moment, mostly because he agreed with most of the things that were said.
> 
>  
> 
> I was a little bigoted shit, and again, I’m sorry, Steve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank a @Benalras for helping to check the grammar so I could post it today. This actually was going to be posted yesterday, but it wasn't ready at the moment.

 

The next day was charged with excitement and expectations. Everyone knew where they belonged and today they were going to act upon it. _Should Billy raise his chin? When would be the right time to posture? Would he be able to growl?_ He had so many questions that he didn’t ask his father, afraid of ruining the good time they were having, so he let them die in his throat at the moment.

 

His next worry was Stevie. He hadn’t seen him yesterday after the lecture. _How were things between them? Would they change?_

 

Billy went directly to his new locker. As the majority of things in high school, these were set according to the students' labels. The alphas lockers were first, betas (the majority) took the rest of the place, and in case that there were any omegas that year they would be located at the near end since they were a minority and were easy to accommodate that way.

 

The first class, Language Arts, was one of the classes that didn’t require separating the students by their designation. Stevie would definitely be there; maybe they could sit together.

 

He was indeed there, sitting next to the window close to the last row.

 

“Hey! My dad gave more money today. If we put it together with yours we could buy a pile of candy.” He was already imaging a pile of Laffy Taffy, Bubble Yum, and Jelly Belly. Maybe if there was something left they could buy a chocolate cigarette at the store after school.

 

Stevie was the one that bought most of the candies since his allowance was bigger and more consistent. If they put it together they could buy at least two candies from each of the brands they sold at school but Stevie didn’t share his enthusiasm.

 

“Dad didn’t give me any money today.” He grumbled on his desk, laying on his arms.

 

That was weird, one of the things Stevie was well known for was his parents’ money. What they didn’t know at the moment was that it would take three months for his parents to give him his allowance again.

 

In years to come, he will develop a theory of what must have happened in that strange period of time where Stevie came in a weird mood and without snacks. And also, what could have happened to Hannah.

 

It was universal knowledge that an alpha couple could only have an alpha kid, maybe a beta one if recessive genes came into collation. Still, they would never be able to have an omega child. Which Steve, unfortunately, ended up being -- only to accidentally prove the blatant infidelity of Mrs. Harrington. Steve just became collateral damage.

 

Billy could only imagine the fight that had to have been unleashed in that house after Steve showed them his test and schedule that needed to be signed.

 

Billy doesn’t know what kind of agreement they came up with, but the fact was the Harringtons didn’t divorce and still lived in the house. Well... they still stopped by the house when they were in town.

 

Frederick Harrington never denied Steve, never disowned him or physically hurt him after the events, but something changed after that day. The time he spent at work went on to the point of spending days or even weeks without setting foot in the house. His relationship with Steve started becoming uncomfortable, cold and denaturalized. Understandable to a point if you consider that Steve’s presence reminded him of _that_ infidelity and the fact that he raised a bastard all this time.

 

Martha Harrington was kind of a mystery. Nobody knew much about her past. She just showed up (a few times over the years she would share bits of her past with a glass of wine in her hand ). She wasn’t emotionally open, just a hard working woman even before meeting who would then become her husband, which might be why many of the adults at the time were surprised that she even had the time to have an affair.

 

He supposed that she did care for her son in her own way. But still, Billy wasn’t going to forget or forgive them easily for how they neglected Steve.

 

Those first weeks of school Billy took the lead and persuaded Stevie to play.

 

If the Harringtons home was chaos, the school wasn’t much better. You see, Billy wasn’t the only one that cared about displaying the proper behavior according to your designation. A few weeks after the start of school, you could see the attempts of several classmates to establish dominance over others and ensure a good position in the hierarchy of the classroom, and Stevie became an easy target as a result.

 

People weren’t prone to ignore the fact that Steve was the only male omega in the classroom, so a bit of taunt was to be expected. That was what he thought at the time, and why he didn’t intervene at that moment, mostly because he agreed with most of the things that were said.

 

**_I was a little bigoted shit, and again, I’m sorry, Steve._ **

 

They were playing basketball during recess and Stevie fell, scraping his knee. Not a big deal, it wasn’t the first time that any of them hurt a part of their body. He was wrong, because when the homeroom teacher found out, all of them were lectured on how they shouldn’t play so roughly with an omega, to the point of quoting the saying _“you don’t touch an omega even with the petal of a rose”_ , which he always thought  was a stupid thing to say. Anyway, that crap ended up hurting Stevie more than any other game of basketball.

 

The teacher’s good intentions backfired after that day. Stevie wasn’t allowed to play with them, nobody wanted to be responsible for “hurting” an omega. Steve would end up being by himself all grumpy during recess until a teacher encouraged him to play with the omega girls.

 

Billy and Stevie would play together at Stevie’s home like always as if nothing had changed in their little world. They would still play outside and wrestle in the bathtub but  Stevie never cried or decided to stop playing with him over a bruise or a scrape, and even though he knew that Steve was equally tough as any other kid, the boundaries were set, what happened at home stayed at home and what happened at school stayed at school.

 

Anyway, the teacher’s solution would never be permanent. First, because Steve didn’t have anything in common with those girls apart for their designation, and second, the “solution” only brought another problem -- Stevie was baptized with a new nickname after his new found fragility.

 

 _Stevie Queenie_. It wasn’t a secret that Billy called Steve “Stevie” (it was that Steve called him Silly Billy), but he was the only one allowed to do that. After the taunting and some weak nicknames, that was the one that stuck in everyone’s minds.

 

Steve didn’t allow him to call him Stevie again after that.

 

One of the bigger problems at school was the fact that Billy didn’t do anything to defend him for a while, especially because for once Steve fought back. Maybe it was that Billy didn’t intervene, or how annoying and persistent the other could get, but Steve grew a backbone out of it.

 

One day, Steve just had enough of it.

 

It happened during recess. Billy was working on his homework so he would have less things to do at home. He tuned out the noise, so he didn’t know how it actually started. But basically, what happened was that a group of boys were talking about collectible cards or something, and that lead to what someone’s cousin said, which then led to that cousin’s job. This ended with them touching the topic of the future jobs they were going to have as adults, and then Michael told Andrew that he couldn’t be a professional football player because they were mostly alphas, the betas players weren’t as famous or popular to count. That lead to how betas would always marry other betas, until David, Jason or Mark (the name changed every time the story was told) said that the only omega that Andrew could have was Steve. Immediately, a series of _eww’s,_ _nooo’s_ and giggles exploded.

 

Billy doesn’t know how much of it Steve heard, but he did, and he proved it when he stood up from his seat and punched Andrew in the face, pushed Michael off his seat, and probably would have done the same with the rest of the group if Jason hadn’t stopped him.

 

Billy stood up when he saw Steve struggling and Jason about to do something while holding him. The teacher wasn’t there at the moment, so the fight easily went out of hand, and it didn’t stop until Jason was crushed under the two-door metal locker they used to store school supplies.

 

The only reason why the Millers didn’t take that incident to a whole new level was because legally confronting the Harringtons would’ve been unsuccessful, and because it would have to be made public that their son was being an asshole with a bunch of other kids to the only male omega in town (and were too cowardly to take full responsibility and do more than pointing fingers at each other), and also because Jason wasn’t seriously injured.

 

Everyone got a warning, the teachers got scared, and Steve wasn’t talking to him for a reason he couldn’t understand -- _I mean, I defended him, why was I having the silent treatment?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like it and leave a comment.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve went from pouting and grumbling to straight yelling to the top of his lungs, Billy was shocked, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He knew that those words weren’t directed at him, still, his heart beat like crazy on the other side of the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry everyone, but there was a nationwide blackout for like almost a week and I wasn't able to write or post the new chapter. 
> 
> Also, this new chapter isn't grammatically checked by anyone besides me, so I may have some errors, for that reason if you see a misspelling, syntax or grammar error please tell me so I can change it.

One of the things he learns and struggles with was to recognize the advantage in life that came with his designation, while still acknowledging that he was a victim too, but not letting that fact cloud his judgment falling in a loop of victimization.

 

Nobody teaches you how to empathize with other in aspects that you could never understand and experience and accept that pain isn’t a currency that you can quantify, having more pain doesn’t make less the struggles of others.

 

Life isn’t a competition to see who suffers more.

In more than one occasion he felt that there was an invisible wall between Steve and him, and he didn’t do anything more than beat himself against it over and over before learning how to address the issue.

At that time when Steve gave him the silent treatment, he didn’t make any effort to be tolerant, he had enough if he wanted to act that way so be it.

They didn’t talk on Social Studies, Science or Language Arts, in the Recess they didn’t even saw each other, well...Steve didn’t, he knows because he was watching.

 

At school, Billy didn’t lack people to hang with, now that he didn’t spend his time exclusively with Steve his routine changed. He had to learn new directions and phone numbers, he could recognize some places but others were still foreign to him.

He had to call before going out to make sure that they were going to meet in the agreed place. In more than one occasion he waited for hours for the whole group to be complete.

Billy stopped doing it after his father berated him for being a bitch and going after everyone asses instead of showing dominance like an alpha, wasting his money like he was the one paying the phone’s bill, so he did what he was told, like the bitch his father wanted him to be just at home.

 

From then on he went to any place they decide to reunite (Melvald’s parking lot, basketball court, etc.) if someone wasn’t there when the time came they would leave him behind. Sometimes if the group didn’t schedule to meet after class, Billy would just go to the house of Tommy, David, Michael or anyone for that matter as long as he could stay away from his house.

It was easy for him to call the shots in the group, after the incident with the locker room he became the top alpha by default.

 

Steve didn’t leave his mind entirely especially when they shared classes, there wasn’t any animosity between them but neither of them made an effort to reconcile either, with the pass of days it was getting easier to think less and less of Steve and his home life, now that he was getting used to his new routine without him.

The day Steve and Billy made amends was on behalf of Steve distress. He would never forget that day and he wasn’t the only one, years later Steve’s breakdown would come as a topic on parties or more private and silent gatherings at the quarry.

 

That day everything started off, Steve was brought by his father instead of him coming with his bike like usual, the bike was still there just in the backside of the car, Steve’s clothes had wrinkles, his hair wasn’t brushed perfectly, his eyes and nose were puffy and red, it was weird how disheveled he looked. During class Steve was eerie silent and taciturn, not paying attention to classes and not bothering to pretend for the sake of not catching the attention of the teacher.

 

On recess he didn’t hang out with anybody, he just sat in a corner, head on his knees, in the Social Studies class that only omegas and alphas could attend Steve had his head on the clouds and no matter how many times the old alpha teacher told him to pay attention Steve keep daydreaming.

 

P.E was an exception, kind of, this time Steve seem to at least try to do the exercises but he did it with such lack of enthusiasm that the coach bench him since it was obvious that he wasn’t at his best, everyone else kept doing laps, in the corner of his eye he could see the still figure of Steve that was apparently sleeping.  

 

Lunch wasn’t any different than P.E, Billy doesn’t know if Steve ate or if he even brought or bought food, but he knows that he spent his time resting his head on the table, a lady came to Steve to check on him but promptly left him alone, maybe deciding to leave him after he gave a poor excuse. It seemed that the only thing he wanted to do was to sleep and dream.

 

Everything went to shit on Elective, he choose Spanish, the language wasn’t foreign to him since it wasn’t unusual to hear people speak it on the streets of Cali, it would be good to take advantage of this head start, also, it was a plus that he didn’t need to change classrooms as the others.

Omegas electives were three: knitting, sewing, and embroidery (in his opinion they were all the same), any girl could take those electives regardless of their designation, but to omegas it was mandatory.

They were learning new verbs when he heard the yelling of Steve and another person, an adult without a doubt. Miss Whitermoore was an old omega in charge of teaching cooking, floral arrangement, embroidery, and all that girly stuff, she wasn’t actually a teacher, she was more a glorified volunteer than anything else, she never got married and dedicated all his life in mastering the skills she taught, with so much free time  she must have decided one day to just to teach those hobbies, nobody seemed to mind, actually it was reinforced to keep those traditional activities alive. Billy thought that was a lie, half of it at least, they probably didn’t want to go against the old hag since it was better to keep her occupied with harmless activities than being in his bad side and let her focus all that free time gossiping and targeting people to bother, no wonder she was still a virgin, according to the rumor when she was younger she was such an ugly omega that nobody wanted her, she hides in a veil of traditionalism and puritanism to not show the resentment she felt towards everyone and herself.

 

That was the first time he saw that woman, dragging Steve by the neck, complaining that Steve was being disruptive during class, rude and a complete savage that bite her, promptly showing the mark on her arm with more vigor than necessary, whining how now she needed to see the doctor and how she was going to pay the pills and ointments since she didn’t perceive a salary from the school even though she was teaching for a long time and blah blah blah.

 

The hag and Mrs. Brown the Spanish teacher went outside, Mrs. Brown had to calm the hag from her rant about needing suture, leaving them with some exercises while they went to the nursery and in search of the homeroom teacher. Steve for his part was sent to sit in the corner.

 

The moment they were out of the room the whole class went nuts on gossip, some even try to pry information from Steve but he kept his vote of silence in the far corner of the room.

 

Mrs. Harper the homeroom teacher entered the classroom later, everyone turned to their sits and books, it was obvious that they didn’t fool anyone but the teacher didn’t give them more than a glance from the door frame, preferring to focus all is attention on Steve, calling him outside.

 

In low voices, the class kept talking, others stood up and went to the door trying to hear what they were talking about, with his ear pressed heavily on the wood door, Billy was one of them.

 

Mrs. Harper was asking what was the matter with Steve, he wasn’t behaving like usual, receiving complaints from other teachers about his lack of concentration and now his barbaric behavior.

 

He wasn’t able to hear what Steve said since his voice was so low that he probably must be whispering.

 

“ Why did you bite Miss Whitermoore? ” she asked with a stern tone.

 

“ ‘Cause she grabbed my arm and it hurt.” now that Billy can finally hear him, he swears that he could see the pouting face that Steve does when he is a brat.

 

“ And she did that because…? ” Steve doesn’t respond.

 

“ She told me that you didn’t want to the work and answered rudely to her. "

 

“ I don’t know why I have to see that class. ”

 

“ All omegas had to do it, you know that Steve. "

 

“ Yeah, but I’m not a girl, how knowing all that stuff is going to help me with anything? "

 

“ Those skills will come handy when you start a family. " this time she used a softer tone of voice.

 

“ Are they? they have helped you with something? ”

 

“ Of course, every day when I cook or when I mend my husband’s…”

 

“ So that’s it? everything I learned I’m going to use it to keep _my alpha husband_ happy? ” Steve started to raise his voice, enough that he probably wouldn’t need to keep pressing his ear on the door.

 

“ Steve you can’t marry a man. " Mrs. Brown said without room for discussion.

 

“ But I have to, isn’t it? Health class taught us how omegas can only be with alphas, even though there are alpha couples and beta couples, there aren’t any omega couples because omegas can only feel complete with an alpha. Never fulfilled without a knot inside them. "

 

“ Steve Harrington, watch your mouth that’s no way of speaking! ”

 

“ IT’S TRUE! I’m not stupid or deaf, I can hear what everyone says, _what my parents said_. I know that I’m screwed, no woman would marry me and I can’t marry a man, I can’t get the job I want. I’m just the boy which his biology will turn into a fag in a couple of years, while everyone pretends that I have opportunities or a future beyond being the town's fag whore or the next Mrs. Whitermoore. This school is BULLSHIT, everyone here is BULLSHIT " Steve went from pouting and grumbling to straight yelling to the top of his lungs, Billy was shocked, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He knew that those words weren’t directed at him, still, his heart beat like crazy on the other side of the door.

 

“ YOU ARE NO MORE THAN A LIER, YOU ARE JUST AN ORDINARY WOMAN, A BETA THAT NEVER LEFT THIS PLACE AND WILL DIE HERE FOR THE REST OF HIS PATHETIC LIFE ”

 

Steve was full hysteric, his voice is high pitched until loud slap echoed through the corridors. For a brief moment, everything was on silence, like time just stopped.

 

“That’s Enough! You don’t have the right to speak to me in that manner Steve Harrington”

Steve watch her through watered eyes and silent tears with an anger that his body could hardly contain, at that moment he was full of hate, hate for his parents, hate for his teachers, his classmates, and the school, hate for his bad luck, cursed to live a life without being loved and the one person who loved him left him, hate that burned inside him with a passion that threatened to burn the world, and if there were a possibility of that being possible he would let it happen. He did what he felt logical at the moment and run away, ignoring the warnings of Mrs. Brown.

 

The next day Steve’s episode was still the tendring topic in class and it would stay that way for a few more days, rumors were coming and going through school growing to the point of exaggeration. A simple bite turned to be something that needed twelve stitches or something gruesome as tearing bits of skin, how Steve's teeth were full of blood and didn’t come to class because his parents put him in a nut house.

 

One of the things that may be true was the rumor that Steve was responsible for the broken windows of some of the cars that were in the parking lot, Billy actually saw the windows of those cars when was returning home and they were indeed broken.

 

The next day Steve didn’t show up either, on the third day the police came to the school, Steve was missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and waiting, if you like it leave a comment below.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He doesn’t know why he did it, but he didn’t answer the questions Chief Hopper asked him the way he should, he didn’t lie but...he omitted stuff.
> 
> Afraid to admit how close he actually was with Steve, afraid of his father finding out, afraid of the police going to his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay but there have been a series of blackouts in this couple of weeks and I haven't bee able to post anything. I'm lucky anything didn't fry with how unstable the electricity is right now. 
> 
> So I decided to post two chapters to compensate.

The class was called one by one to the director’s office, the new Chief Jim Hopper was on the case.

 

“Billy, isn’t it? you must know that Steve Harrington is missing, right? ” Billy nods

 

“ Well, his parents are very worried, that’s why I’m going to ask you some questions to see if we can find some clue of his whereabouts ”

 

The questions were easy, when and where was the last time he saw Steve, if he noticed something wrong or different that day, how close he was to him. Standard questions. He answered everything and returned to class. Things continue with some sort of normality, the rumors by this point weren’t something new by now, you could even pick what kind of gossip you want it to hear.

 

If you go and asked Mary Petterson she would tell you about an old urban legend of a woman that liked to take kids that wandered alone, something that’s been happening a long time ago through several generations, her mom told her the same way her mother did with her.

In old times when Hawkings didn’t have many houses, streets and paths of dirt were still a thing, in those times kids were missing with frequency, to the authorities there were only three options: a case of bad parenting, a kidnapper or an accident. To the people, it was something different, an entity whose name has been time along forgotten but was still ingrained hunting the town.

He has to grant it to Mary, she knew how to tell a story but it was only that, a story. Is been a long time since the last case of a missing person or witness of that ghost in this town.

 

Jane Morris or “Brace Face” had another theory, she would say that Steve left Hawkings on bus, how easy that could be since he had a big allowance and it wasn’t a secret that Steve hadn’t bought anything for several days, so it wouldn’t be crazy to think that Steve could take all that money and scape to another state and live a new life. This rumor was more credible since it had some truth in it, and after the meltdown that Steve had in the classroom it almost seems logical that he would try to leave the place he was so fed up with, but the more probable that shit could sound, Billy knew it wasn’t true.

He knew that the reason why Steve didn’t spend his money was more related to his dad and his out of the blue decision to cut off his allowance, and even if Steve had found money, someone in the bus station should have seen him and be news by now not a rumor.

 

Jason, on the other hand, had a more down to earth explanation and just for that, it was the cruelest. He has heard stories from his big brother or his father and uncle when they drank beer outside on the porch, sometimes sitting around the table of the kitchen when the only source of light was a single light bulb whose light was limited to the area they were both sitting.

How Jason stayed so late without his parent’s complain? he didn’t have idea, but it seemed that nobody else cares, focus to hear what he had to say.

_“ Omegas go missing all the time in the city, bigger the city bigger the number of lost people. My dad says that a few return alive and that’s why the city isn’t a place for an unmated omega._

_My uncle lives in Chicago, he knows the city, he works towing cars so he hears all kind of stuff, there is word on the street that says that the omegas that go missing are sold in a market, a whole word under us were shady guys do stuff ”_

It sounded like the plot of a movie and yet the idea of some creep taking Steve when he was in a vulnerable state was something that could happen, even in a remote place like Hawkings, and that was the most terrifying thing, that out there was this danger living alongside them and Steve had the bad luck of being his victim and he wouldn’t be able to see him again.

 

That night Billy wasn’t able to sleep, the guilt was eating him alive if the police weren’t able to find Steve the possibility of maybe being his fault for not saying all the truth that evening would turn to be the biggest regret of his life.

He doesn’t know why he did it, but he didn’t answer the questions Chief Hopper asked him the way he should, he didn’t lie but...he omitted stuff. Afraid to admit how close he actually was with Steve, afraid of his father finding out, afraid of the police going to his house.

 

“ Billy, right? ” the chief asks, he is sitting in one of the chairs that are usually reserved for the parents when they come to the director’s office, Billy was sitting in the other chair in front of the chief.

 

“ Yes, sir”

 

“ Ok, I’m going to ask some questions and I need you to be honest with me, that could help to find the  Harrington’s boy “ the questions were standard. “When was the last time you saw him? “ “How you see him that day? ” “ Was he behaving differently? ” “ That day were you able to see someone suspicious or anyone that you have never seen before? ”

 

The struggle started when after Hopper asked if Steve and Billy were friends.

 

“ We hang out but not anymore ”

 

“ How so? ”

 

“ We fought ”

 

“ Why? ”

 

“ He was fighting during class because a group in class was saying stuff about him, I intervene before he got hurt and for some reason, he got mad at me and stopped talking to me, so I did the same ”

 

“ Fights like this were frequent? "

 

“ No, they didn’t get that big, it was mostly teasing "

 

“ What about Monday between 1:00 - 1:30 pm? many say that Steve Harrington was perturbed and attacked the teacher "

 

“ I don’t know why he did that, he just snapped "

 

“ And you don’t know what could make him do that? "

 

“ No, I already told you, we don’t talk anymore "

 

“ And before that? "

 

“ Before that? "

 

“ Did you talk? "

 

“ Yes "

 

“ How close were you? "

 

“ We hang out after class to ride our bikes ”

 

“ What places did you go? ”

 

“ He showed me what kids do here, the court where played, Melvald’s, the shortcuts between houses…”

 

He didn’t say how he practically lived in Steve’s house or the clubhouse they made in the forest that is behind the backyard, he didn’t say how much he actually knew about Steve or the Harrington’s either, with Steve missing nobody would know.

 

Taking out the trash, doing his homework, sweep the house, eat dinner and leave some to his father, wash the dishes, take a bath, his daily routine continued as always, Steve absence didn’t make waves big enough to alter anything of importance. The sun rose the same, the school wasn’t closed, homework was handed over and chores were done, life keeps going, time didn’t stop not even for Steve, the only thing that stopped was his dreams.

 

Billy couldn’t sleep that night, tossing around, changing positions, counting sheeps, nothing worked, sleep was being elusive that night. His mind kept returning to Steve, he imagined that he watched Steve walking alone through the abandoned railroad with a backpack, maybe in a bus station not knowing where to go and sleep on the streets, those scenarios were out of his reach but there was one place that he could go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like it, please leave a comment.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That's when he heard it, the most awful sound he could ever imagine. It was kind of a scream, high pitched, odd and agonizing. It didn’t sound human but hell that he couldn’t place any animal with a noise like that, it sounded like...like...Fuck! Fuck Mary Petterson and her mother, witches didn’t exist.
> 
> He ran in the opposite direction of the noise, that by the way didn’t fucking ceased, which brought him a sense of dread to know that whatever was that thing was out there close to him, feeling only comparable by the contradictory relief of knowing where it probably was located.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blackouts, blackouts everywhere.

With a newfound motivation Billy got up from bed and went to the toolbox that was below the sink, his father keep a flashlight in there - he was sure that he isn’t going to miss it- nowadays his father started to come home very late or not coming at all, he didn’t ask since it wasn’t his business and it wasn’t like it bother him, without the stern gaze of his father on his neck he didn’t feel on edge in the house.

 

The only question that Billy brought himself to ask was if his father was coming home that day or not, even then that question didn’t guarantee anything in the long run. Waking up in the morning to eat his father’s cold dinner that he left the previous night as breakfast in the cases were it was still on the table, it had happened before, his father telling him that he is going to stay at home just to not show up until the next morning and complain about how leaving food outside could attract animals and nobody wants to deal with an infestation.

 

With duct tape, the flashlight, pants, and jacket over his pajamas, socks, and sneakers he went to his bike, of course before that he had to arrange his pillow under the sheet in the rare occasion his father returned and checked his room.

 

The night did really bring a different feeling to the town, the only source of light came from the flashlight taped on the handlebar or the far in between lamp posts and houses on the sidewalk. Steve better appreciate this.  

It took him more time than he expected to reach to the Harrington’s house, he skirted the house, unwrapped the flashlight and leave the bike near some bushes. Billy walked through the trees until he reached the backyard, that was his starting point and reference, from them on it was a straight line until the hunchback three.  

 

This was Billy first time in the woods at night and shit how it gave him the creeps, no wonder people here came up with so many ghost stories. Everything looked different, he started to doubt his plan, second-guessing every step he made not looking beyond the reach of the flashlight. _Was he lost?_

 

He was the only one making noise, every branch, leaf, and grain of dirt sounded absurdly loud, if there was actually something out there then he was doomed because there is no way that he could go unnoticed.

 

In his mind,  he made a list of all the times he went to the woods with Steve and the animals he saw in there. Squirrels, chipmunks, birds, tiny fishes in the creek, frogs and toads, lizards, the shadow of what Steve thought was a fox - he still calls bullshit on that one, all of them were animals that didn’t reach his knee, he had nothing to worry about.

Billy needed to concentrate on his mission, until that moment he was being cautious not attracting the attention on himself but that couldn’t do if he wanted to find Steve.

 

“Steve!” He yells at the beginning unsure feeling a bit dumb but gaining more confidence to be louder with the passing of the minutes.

 

That's when he heard it, the most awful sound he could ever imagine. It was kind of a scream, high pitched, odd and agonizing. It didn’t sound human but hell that he couldn’t place any animal with a noise like that, it sounded like...like...Fuck! Fuck Mary Petterson and her mother, witches didn’t exist.

He ran in the opposite direction of the noise, that by the way didn’t fucking ceased, which brought him a sense of dread to know that whatever was that thing was out there close to him, feeling only comparable by the contradictory relief of knowing where it probably was located.

 

By running as fast as he could he didn't pay attention to the ground to notice a ramp in the ground, falling pretty hard, it may not entirely be his fault and more about a limited field of vision and lack of depth perception thanks to the darkness, either way for the brief moment that takes him to orient himself he can’t help but feel hopeless.

Without his flashlight at hand, he quickly came to realize how much he underestimated the darkness, it’s dead serious when you aren’t able to to see your own hand inches apart of your face. He needed to get out, worst case scenario he would have to wait until the breaking dawn to return home.

 

It was autumn there were a lot of leaves, he could do a pile and rest in there and hope for the best, the other option was to find the clubhouse and sleep in there were he would be more protected from the elements. Search for the clubhouse that he was having trouble to find or stay rooted and sleep on the damp dirt for the fear self-induced by his mind.

 

 _Take deep breaths. Wait. Go_.

 

Billy continued walking humming the tune of _Staying Alive_ , he just needed to concentrate and not let his mind wander to dark places, he could do it, it was necessary.

 

He almost cried when he saw the silhouette of the shabby house, he ran focused entirely in the curtain that served as a door,  not on the sides and definitely not at his back. Inside there were several blankets and food packages, finally, a bit of luck maybe Steve left this the last time he stayed.

Not wasting any more time Billy went to wrap himself with the sheets and maybe sleep a little bit, he had to return way fucking early if he wanted to sneak into his room without his father finding, and at that moment he realized that he went out the front door, his window was closed, he wouldn't be able to use it to enter. Well shit.

 

Snuggling inside the layers of fabric he stumbled with something or rather with someone, he froze, his blood turned cold, he couldn’t take it anymore. He screamed at the top of his lungs.

The figure under the cocoon of sheets rise up startled, yelling too. So many things could have happened that night so it must have been destiny the fact that he didn’t attack what he thought was a homeless person at the moment or flee, and get lost in the forest again.

 

His flashlight was pointing the face of person just to find it was Steve, both stayed still watching each other while catching their breath. What happened next was the most logical thing to do. He tackled Steve and wrestled with him.

 

“ YOU’RE AN ASSHOLE! Do you know that? ” Billy growled above Steve.

 

“ Everyone thinks you are gone or kidnapped by some creep! ” He was exhausted physically and mentally and maybe that’s why he let Steve take the upper hand and free himself from his grip.

 

_Steve was alive and he found him._

 

He grabbed Steve again but this time with no intention of fighting, but that didn’t mean his grip wasn’t strong, planting his nose at the nape surrounded by brown hair, he inhales deeply. He had missed this.

Steve stops trying to break out his hold, he wants to believe it was because he realized that he wasn’t going to let it go and just resigned, instead of stopping for his sobs.  

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like it, please leave a comment.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The news of Hannah left him with a bad taste in his mouth, especially because he wasn’t going to see her ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to be constant and post during the weekend, if any blackout happens, of course.

They didn’t move until Steve got tired of supporting Billy’s weight and changed positions, they laid on the floor, Billy still embraced him from behind. 

 

“ Hey ”

 

“ Mmm”

 

“ Why did you hide? ” Billy got questions and right now seemed like a good moment to voice them, God knows if he is going to get a better chance than this.

 

“ The police is searching for you ” that got Steve’s attention.

 

“ Are they? ” 

 

“ Yes, they will find this place, is just a matter of time”

 

“ How are they going to find something they don’t know it exists? ”

 

“ They could find it by accident, also it isn’t like anybody knows, Hannah knows they could interrogate her ”

 

“ They won’t, she isn’t with us anymore. My dad fired her ”

 

“ What! ” that took Billy by surprise “ How long has been since she left? ” 

 

“ Five days ”

 

“ Sunday? ”

 

“ Yes ”

 

The next day was  **_that_ ** Monday. “Is that why you were on Monday all distracted and yelled the teacher?” 

 

“I don’t know” They stayed in silence for a bit.

 

The news of Hannah left him with a bad taste in his mouth, especially because he wasn’t going to see her ever again. 

 

“ Why was she fired? ”

 

“ Because of me, the day she got fired she was arguing with my dad ”

 

“ About what? ”

 

“ I couldn’t hear clearly, they were in my dad’s office but they were loud enough for me to catch some parts from my room, it was about me. I think she thought my dad wasn’t being nice to me or something ”

 

“ Your dad. Has he done something to you? ”

 

“ Like what? ”

 

“ Like hit you ”

 

“ No ”

 

“ Ok ”

 

Now that his body wasn’t full on adrenaline and his heart was calmed again he registered how cold it was. Billy pulls himself up on his elbows and grabbed the sheets closer to him and tuck Steve and himself the best he could with one hand. 

He noticed that Steve body was trembling, he didn’t take notice in what was Steve wearing, the flashlight was long forgotten in a corner - he should probably turn it off before the batteries die. A whimper took all his attention from the flashlight. 

 

“ Hey, you okay? ” 

 

“ I want her back ” 

 

Now that was Steve turn to cry he wasn’t sure of what to do, usually, when Steve cried it was for Billy’s fault or Steve own fault and an apology or gesture of goodwill was enough to make amends, he couldn’t do the same in this case. 

Nobody could have predicted how much of impact would end up having Hannah on Steve, whatever she told him he took it at heart, actually, it was her that planted the seed that set motion the drive to search and create a place for himself out of social conventions that would characterize Steve over the years, a skin he could recognize as his own and be proud of it. It was a shame that Hanna’s presence hadn’t stayed long enough to guide Steve on his first years as an omega. 

 

Hannah was an omega, maybe the first good omega influence in his life.

 

“ I’ll miss her too ” 

 

“ I wished she has taken me with her ” 

 

“ To live with her? ” 

 

“ Yes ”

 

Billy gets it, given the option, he would also have wanted to leave with Hanna too, but right now he wouldn’t want Steve to leave. If Steve left, he will probably be happier with Hannah as his mother, not alone anymore with a new father, brothers, and sisters, maybe even with the freaking pet Steve so much wanted.  Billy didn’t want that, he understood that at the time it was in part for pettiness and not wanting Steve to be happier than him and without him in another place, the other part was that Steve was a constant in his life, it didn't matter if they were friends or not, losing Steve would be like losing a limb.

 

“ Billy ” Steve whispered 

 

“Yeah?” it’s been a while since Steve has addressed him by his name.

 

“ I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to be an omega ”

 

“ I know, I wouldn’t want to be one either ” and it’s true if they changed places Billy would want to escape from that destiny, but he knew that he wouldn’t be able to. Steve was braver in that aspect, he supposed. 

 

“ Steve, were you living here all this time? ” Billy hears the graze of the fabrics when Steve turns around and face him. Billy can’t really detail his face, barely seeing where he supposed are his eyes, his nose, and mouth.

 

“Kind of, I slept here at night, in the day I just wandered as long as I could before the night fell”

 

“Why didn’t you leave?”  no matter how happy he is that Steve has stayed, there was the question of why he didn’t the opportunity? If Steve was motivated enough to leave his house for four days, why don’t go with the plan until the end?

 

Steve stayed quiet long enough that he thought he wasn’t going to get an answer.

 

“ I don’t know ” 

 

Anyway, Billy was relieved by whatever anchored Steve to Hawkings, fear? lack of a solid plan? a person? it didn’t matter as long as it keeps him from getting lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like it, leave a comment. I'll be happy to speak with you.


	8. Chapter 8

Steve’s parents weren’t exactly excited when they returned the next day in the morning, they were relieved sure, excited not so much. Steve and Billy spent the whole night in the clubhouse sleeping close enough to share their heat and keep it warm inside the sheets.

They waited for Steve’s parents to wake up, in the meantime, they were in the kitchen eating breakfast.

While eating what he thought was the best sandwich ever - filled with cheese, ham, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, mustard, mayo, and ketchup - he thought how he missed this, Billy never had breakfast at Steve’s but he felt a longing, that right there at the moment was being satiated. Another perk of being at the Harrington’s was that he could eat as much as he desired it if you take in count that Steve’s parents didn’t spend a lot of time in the house, to begin with, meaning that they didn’t eat in the house many often. There even were food that belonged to Steve exclusively like the cereal of Captain Crunch.

 

Billy spent the morning with Steve, he was there when Steve’s parents reprimand him for scaping and cause so much trouble, and when they called Sheriff Hopper about his return, apologizing for the inconveniences, for last Mrs. Harrington was calling his dad and let him know where he was. He never picked up.

At the moment he wasn’t sure if his father even returned home, he hoped that Neil went directly from whatever he was to work, that way his father didn’t need to know that he didn’t spend the night at home and how he sure was going to miss the first period.

Mr. Harrington already left for work and Mrs. Harrington seemed in a hurry to leave to hers but unable to do so with other person kid at his care. They were the kind of people that focused on work when they were facing some sort of emotional distress, in his opinion they were detached.

 

“ My dad could be at work, he returns at night ” It was something that Billy thought she may need to know, especially when she seemed to ponder of what to do with the time she had.

 

“ You wouldn’t know by accident his number at work? ” he denies with the head, his father never gave much about himself much less the number of his office, probably because he wouldn’t want to risk Billy bothering him at work or someone else answering the call. He had the aspects of his life separated

 

“ This is what is going to happen ”  Steve’s mom decided that it was the best idea to leave Steve at home but not for long she reassured him since someone needed to be at home when Chief Hopper came by to take Steve’s testimony of the events for the record. Years later that testimony would be brought to light with the disappearance of thirteen years old omega Will Byers.

 

“ Billy do you want me to leave you at your home? ” it was a good proposal, he didn’t feel with the energy or the desire to pedal to his house, he saw her while she dashed through the living room and counted the things that were in her purse  “ No Mrs. Harrington, it’s okay if I stay with Steve?”

 

“ Call me Martha please Billy, and sure you can stay, I’ll be calmer knowing that Steve isn’t going to go away again ” for someone that doesn’t have maternal instinct she sure does have that _“mom face”_ that promises a _“talk”_.

 

Now they were alone and skipping classes. They stayed in the living room watching T.V

 

“ You think you would go to school tomorrow? ” Billy asked

 

“ I don’t know, maybe ” and almost immediately he corrected himself “ You know what, I’m pretty sure I’m coming tomorrow I don’t think my parents let me skip classes ever again ”

 

Steve’s parents indeed took measures to prevent this situation from happening again, and when he meant measures he meant everything as didn’t alter their routine too much.

Like his father taking Steve to school early in the morning, in case Steve went absent in one of his classes all the teachers had the obligation to inform the principal and therefore Steve’s parents.

 

After classes Steve was signed in extracurricular activities, for example, the Indiana Sunshine Society, one of the many societies of that type that were focused in community work, recognized and supported by the community as a great character builder for girls and omegas alike. It wasn’t just to keep tabs on Steve but it also served as a good extracurricular activity that will give him a better chance for higher education. The earlier he devoted himself to that better.

In the weekends his mother took him to Indianapolis to attend at the Academy of Etiquette and Protocol, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm he was a left in a room with a bunch of other kids from 11 to 18 years old learning about etiquette, ballroom dance, tea etiquette, wedding etiquette, date etiquette, etc.

Martha really made sure to sign up Steve in any program and seminar available in that place, it was a bit of a boomer and the hours left to see each other were fewer but it didn’t bother him so much just for the fact that he started a part-time job in the garage of George Burness, he couldn’t depend on Neil anymore if he wanted to buy something for himself, and it was better if he showed initiative to search for the job before his father complained about how he was being a slob.

 

But right now they were just enjoying being by themselves for a little longer,  grown-up problems could wait.

 

“ Are we friends again? ” Billy wanted to be sure where they were standing.

 

“ Yes, we are ” before they could forgive and forget, Billy, needed to ask something first.

 

“ Why did you get mad with me? I help you against Jason ”

 

“ You weren’t being a good friend, you helped me just when I was close to a fist fight but the other times they said stuff about me or call me by  _that_ nickname, you didn’t do anything, even laugh sometimes. It isn’t enough if you are going to be my friend only when you are at my house ”

 

Steve called him out on his bullshit and he was right to do it.

 

“ Sorry, I won’t do it again ”

 

“ Good, because I don’t want to be alone at lunch or recess ” Yeah, Steve was going to need that since half of the school thinks he was death and the other half that he was crazy.

 

“ Maybe, I mean you are kind of popular, everyone talked about you ” Billy then proceeds to retell all the stories, gossips, and theories since his disappearance, including the one of Mary Petterson.

 

“ Steve when you were in the woods did you hear a weird sound at night? ”

 

“ Weird like what? ”

 

“ A high pitched, like a woman screaming but weirdly”

 

“ When did you hear that?”

 

“ Yesterday in the woods, before I found you ” Steve was concentrating trying to come with something that could explain what Billy heard.

 

“ It was probably a fox ”

 

Billy didn’t say anything mostly because he thought his face makes it very clear what he was thinking, and that was it couldn’t be possible that a fox could make that sound, he may not know what does the fox sound but he isn’t stupid. _A fox, yeah right._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like it, leave comments.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything worked out just fine, he doesn’t count it as the best day of his life no even close, but he admits that it was special and it would never repeat again, so many events finding the closure most convenient for him was something that only occurred once in life, if it ever happened to begin with.

 

After that, small good things started to happen, things that at the moment meant the world to him. First, Chief Hopper went to the house and took Steves’s and his declaration in presence of Mrs. Harrington, and that was good because in that way the chief wouldn’t feel the need to go over his house ask him those questions. He had to come clean about the omission of the more than probable whereabouts of Seve.

 

Second, he stayed for lunch. Always a plus.

 

Third, The Chief gave him a lift to his house so he was saved from the pedaling. 

 

Fourth, his father didn’t notice his absence that day. 

 

Everything worked out just fine, he doesn’t count it as the best day of his life no even close, but he admits that it was special and it would never repeat again, so many events finding the closure most convenient for him was  something that only occurred once in life, if it ever happened to begin with.

 

Neil did found about his involvement in the Harrington’s reappearance eventually, it was a matter of time really, someone could have mentioned him in his work or the supermarket, who knows.

 

The news of Steve return spread like fire, his involvement not so much, after all, only Chief Hopper, the Harringtons and anyone close to any of them, but the ones who in a way or another found out took the story as an act of heroism. 

 

_ Such a good boy, showing signs of what promises to be an outstanding alpha. _ If they knew, he wasn’t a hero and didn’t felt like one for that matter, in the same way, he earned brownie points in the community, Steve turned to be well known as a problematic omega.

 

It wasn’t much of a surprise when the title of King Steve came up. It was obvious that things needed to change, but nobody expected the kind of change that Steve and he brought up.

 

Billy kept his promise, he didn’t let anyone belittle Steve for being an omega, nobody dared to say shit in front of Billy, but that didn’t mean that everyone would be happy for Steve being part of his group, it depended entirely on the omega to gain the respect of others.

 

The way he did it tho, it wasn’t of the like of many, but hell, it was Steve’s choice and it was the best thing he came up at the moment.

King Steve, that was the solution, it was a persona that Steve came up with. Whereas Steve was an omega with a dysfunctional family, a lot to prove and more worries than anyone could think.

 

King Steve in the other hand didn’t have a designation, he was what he was without any worry in the world, designations, school, grade, distant parents, meant nothing to him, he just wanted to have a good time and make others to have a good time too.

 

His parties were the best, anyone who wanted to be considered someone was in King’s parties. It was such a weird thing, it wasn’t like everyone forgot that Steve was an omega but more like they just collective ignore the elephant in the room, nobody batted an eye when omega girls flirted with Steve or how he played rough with other alphas.

 

King Steve as above everyone. Intouchable.

 

For anyone to be on top is necessary to surround yourself with people that were on top, and those were the ones one year or two above them.

 

Henry Bale was a senior, he wasn’t in the popular crowd perse but he was older and have no qualms of hanging out with first years as long they brought him stuff, like cigarettes or beer, money work it too.  He was the one who taught them how to smoke and shotgun, he also gave them information about the incoming parties.

 

It was in one of those parties where King Steve was born. The first time they sneak into the parties not much came out of it, they drank from the punch, took one beer or two, mingle a little bit. Nothing out of the ordinary.

 

In Jenny’s party tho, they almost got kicked. Billy was going to the kitchen for two beers when he stumbles upon some alphas drinking in the countertop, they were drunk and with a problem with first years. Granted Billy still has his baby fat and looked like a big toddler (he started to work out and the results would take time to be noticeable), but he wasn’t going to back off just for that.

 

It was Steve the one who prevented a possible fight that undoubtedly Billy would have lost. The solution was a keg stand challenge, Billy will never forget how sure of himself was Steve and the incredulous faces of the alphas when the one taking the challenge was Steve, an omega.

They laughed.

 

“Are you really going to let an omega fight your fights?” 

 

“Only when I know that he is more than enough to beat your ass”

 

They moved to the backyard with almost everyone in the party, everybody wanted a good spot. The alpha went first, the atmosphere was charged, chanting and howling, whoever was the guy he had the sympathy of everyone in his pocket.

 

“We still have time to change places“ the way Steve stood silently watching everything unfold induce in Billy the urge to offer him a way out.

 

“ No, I’ll do it” Billy justs nods, he understands, Steve needs to gain the respect of others without Billy interference. 

 

When it was Steve’s the cheering was receding, Billy helps him to set in position and held his legs. He isn’t going to lie, Billy was a bit nervous, it wasn’t like drinking beer was something new for them but not in that quantity, so the idea of Steve not being able to handle it and throwing up cross his mind.

 

For his part Steve didn’t seem to have that problem, he was determined to kick ass, for that he needed to endure more than twenty-five seconds. Everyone started to count and maybe it was his nerves but he swears that those were the slowest passing seconds in history, and yet Steve didn’t quit until he broke the previous record of the alpha for another six seconds.

 

The crowd went nuts, he helped Steve to stand up putting his arm on his back, and Steve’s arm over his shoulders in an awkward side hug, in a way to conceal how much of a wreck Steve was.

 

“Thirty seconds! New record!” the cheering didn’t subside and keep rising “This is you new King Hawkins!” Billy yelled, raising Steve’s arm.

 

After that doors opened for them, their names became well known for everyone in school, sophomores and seniors alike, it helped that the alpha Steve defeated wasn’t a sore loser, he even invited them to other parties. To be seen with a senior alpha in the halls did wonders to someone popularity, they were admired and envied in equal ways.

 

The sun came out of Steve’s ass at school, he was untouchable and unbreakable but at home, he let himself go, in the privacy of his home he let himself be, let himself be an omega, it wasn’t much but it was something.

 

Being an omega in Steve’s terms was...awkward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I had a job now and procrastination issues. Yesterday I finished the chapter but since I don't have a beta for the moment to see if I could find one (I couldn't), so I'm going down like men. If you find a typo or idk an error please tell me so I can change it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To be desired yet not be objectified. To know what he was yet not wanting to be classified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was part of chapter 9, but I realize that it would make a longer chapter compared to the ret so I decided to divide it.

When Steve hit his growth spurt it was a blessing and a curse, you see, being taller than the majority of betas and some alphas made him proud, while shopping omega clothes was hell. He was always in a piss poor humor the day after his mother bought him clothes that he wasn’t going to use at school.

 

Steve was self-conscious about his body every time he compared it with the standard omega body and beauty, wearing those clothes remind him of how he didn’t fit the standard, seeing the employee at the store struggling to find his size and his mother rejecting any outfit was enough to obliterate his self-esteem.  Praying all the time to be the less omega possible just to feel embarrassed the few moments he didn’t live by the expectations that should come naturally to him, such contradictory feelings. 

 

To be desired yet not be objectified. To know what he was yet not wanting to be classified. 

  
  
  


“Dude, what are you doing?” Billy was in front of Steve’s closet, half body in, moving clothes hangers from left to right.

 

“Seeing what new thing you mother bought you” And boy if it wasn’t a treat, Mrs.Harrington bought Steve clothes from her trips, she must have bought what was popular at the moment, it was a shame that didn’t align with Steve measures and preferences. 

 

Soft and light pastel colors, Billy has seen Steve wearing two or three of those clothes at school, the rest of the time he uses clothes he buys with his allowance or hands me downs from Billy.

 

“You always do that, why?”

 

“They are interesting” He keeps going through the clothes until something caught his attention “well, well, well, look at this”  A baby pink crop top with big gummy purple letters that said  _ Sweet and Free, _ the best thing was that it had sequin and glitter.

 

“Have you ever worn it” Billy took it off the hanger and inspect it from both sides, missing Steve’s bitch face directed to him.

 

“Of course not, you know is not my style, it’s too much...”

 

“Omega?” 

 

“Yes”

 

Billy hummed “You know, you would look good in this”

 

“Right” Steve rolled his eyes “I would look like a transvestite” when Billy became like this it was better to ignore him, and that’s exactly what he did turning the next page of his magazine. 

 

Billy turned to look unimpressed “I’m serious, man”

 

“I’m serious too Billy”

 

“Whatever, you are looking too much into it” Billy dropped the subject but keep holding the crop top absent-minded for a few seconds. “I bet you that I’ll look good in this”

 

“What?”

 

“The crop top Steve, I’m sure I can pull this off”

 

“Just because you are slightly pretty for an alpha doesn’t mean that you..”

 

“You think I’m pretty?” Billy turns around smiling with all his teeth and a mischevious glint in his eyes.

 

“Not the point,” said accentuating each word “Just because you have been working out doesn’t mean that now you’ll look good in everything”

 

“First of all,  that’s exactly how it is, and second you sound like I didn’t look good before. I always look good in everything, even this omega preppy glittery crap”

 

“Fine, do whatever you want” focusing again in the pictures in the magazine “I’ll just stay here and laugh when you see that I’m right”

 

After hearing the click of the door of the bathroom, he closes the mag, staring at the ceiling from his bed wonders what the hell was going on in Billy’s mind.

 

The alpha came out of the bathroom looking happier than he thought he should be. The crop top was hugging his body, looking particularly tight on his biceps, he is sure that not crop top should be stretching like that, for what he saw in mags they should be baggy.

 

“So how do I look?” Billy leaned on the door frame flexing his arm.

 

“Looks like you are about to tear it up and nobody would use it ever again, so you are making me a favor actually” not satisfied with that answer Billy pulled out the bitch face or the I-can’t-believe-you-said-something-so-stupid-Why-I’m-dealing-with-you?

 

“Ok, ok” he sighs. This time he is looking at Billy with detail, at first ridiculous was the word that came to his mind but with every second that passed he was getting used to the idea  and could say that he didn’t look that bad, Billy actually looked good in the way it made his arms and chest look bigger.

 

Billy coughed to pull out Steve of whatever his mind was wandering around, not that he minded too much, he was flattered if Steve looked at his body with such rapt attention. 

 

“You don’t look that bad” 

 

“That bad?, say I’m rocking this crop top” 

 

“Yeah, yeah, you were right, you look good in everything” Steve grumbles and gives his back to Billy, soon enough the mattress sinks and a new weight is next to him.

 

“Come on don’t be like that” Billy nudges Steve’s back with his knee.

 

“Be like what?” 

 

“A brat” Steve punched him with his elbow.

 

“Fuck, but seriously you overthink too much. You need to be more confident” says as he rubs his ribs.

 

“You don’t think I am?” 

 

“I think you aren’t good at acting as you think you are”

 

Steve’s patient was thin and the last comment broke it.

 

“Shut up Billy! You know shit of what you are talking about” 

 

“I know more than you think”   
  
Standing up from the bed, facing him with a sour expression, narrowed eyes, flared up nostrils, tensed fists, and a bitter smile. Billy was getting him worked up, especially with that know-it-attitude he was carrying

 

“Enlighten me then”

 

“You restrain yourself of doing things you like, fearing what others can think” Billy tuned his body, legs open, arm over his head. “I see the way you see at Ellen Wilson, everyone misunderstood it as desire or a crush, but I know what you really want” the alpha played with the hem of his shorts.

 

“You overcompensate too much, a parody of an alpha, acting tough as you don’t care, but that works better when you actually don’t care, that’s why no matter what I do, if I use a crop top or paint my nails of purple, people won’t think that I’m less of an alpha; probably would think that is all a joke” 

 

For more rigid that Steve was in the exterior he was vibrating on his inside, he blinked several times because he’ll be damned if he starts angry crying. 

 

Slowly Steve moves toward the bed.

 

“What are you saying is, that in order to portray an alpha I had to be more omega?” Billy tilts his head,  a shine in his eyes and a smile that seems to keep a secret from him. “I’m saying that you need to be yourself”

 

With both of them in bed, they arranged themselves so now both were facing each other, very still.

 

 Billy was laying down as a model in a beach like one of those teen pop magazine, just mere inches from Steve. Watching each other, breathing the same air, being in silence, speaking through gazes loudly as they could. Their lips meeting came naturally for them, and with it came silence.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like it, please leave comments.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like it and stay for the second part. Leave comments :)


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